Steps to health

Overview

Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for more than 50% of deaths in the Czech Republic. Sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity prevail in the current Czech population and the most natural physical activity –⁠ walking –⁠ is also on decline. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to instantly convince our patients to be not only mere consumers of the healthcare system put in the role of passive actors, but conversely, active participants, who are responsible for their mental and physical health. Endowment fund For Heart of Haná (Pro srdce Hané) offers an individual prescription of walking or jogging as a prevention of cardiovascular diseases for the population of Olomouc city and surrounding regions by creating a walking or jogging track in the local municipal parks (“cardiopathway”). The authors describe the circumstances of creation of Olomouc cardiopathway and the results of questionnaire action held during the opening ceremonial.

Key words:
prevention of cardiovascular diseases, walking, cardiopathway, physical activity prescription, intensity of training, recreation, lifestyle of population